Apple CEO Explains Why Some iPhones Are More Boring than Others

Apple CEO Tim Cook doesn’t think the mobile market, including the iPhone, has reached the saturation point where innovation is no longer possible, explaining in a recent interview that bringing new capabilities to the market with every generation is something that’s not possible in the long term.

Cook discussed Apple’s struggle for innovation in an interview with Nikkei Asian Review, emphasizing that iPhone would remain a leader in terms of innovation even if some models don’t bring so many new things.

“I know of no one who would call a 12-year-old mature,” he said. Apple launched the first iPhone in 2007, and Tim Cook believes that the saturation point mentioned above just can’t be reached in 12 years.

Discussing why some iPhones are considered boring releases that don’t bring anything new in terms of features, Cook explained that significant innovation isn’t possible every year, as certain technologies require more time for research and development.

“Sometimes these steps are humongous, sometimes these steps are smaller. But the key is to always make things better, not just change for change’s sake,” Cook said. “The ethos and the DNA of the company have never been stronger on the innovation front. The product line has never been stronger.”

5G on the 2020 iPhone lineup

Apple’s 2020 iPhone generation will introduce 5G support, according to people familiar with the company’s plans, as part of a licensing deal that Cupertino signed earlier this year with Qualcomm.

At the same time, the entire lineup will make the switch to OLED – right now, only iPhone 11 uses an LCD screen.

Rumor has it that Apple could also bring back Touch ID with a fingerprint sensor embedded into the glass, an approach that company rivals Samsung and Huawei are already using. Touch ID could thus be offered alongside Face ID on at least one new iPhone launching in 2020.